# Chapter 1685: The Yan Mo's Lament
The shouts and curses of the Three Yan Mo Ancestors resounded across the skies of the Yan Mo Imperial Domain, and beyond that, there was not a single other sound.
Because everyone was in a state of extreme shock and stupefaction, unable to speak, and even afraid to make the slightest noise.
Yan Tianxiao once again fell into a prolonged daze... His own confusion and earnest advice had only earned him the furious rebuke of the three ancestors.
And his single angry outburst at Yun Che, which could not even be considered a curse, had provoked the three ancestors into a torrent of scathing condemnation, even shouting about "clearing out the sect."
His face was ashen, and his hands slowly clenched.
The three Yan ancestors' bizarre and terrifying demeanor made it seem as if they had been branded with a slave seal by Yun Che. But this possibility had barely flashed through his mind before he quickly dismissed it.
Because they were the supreme, invincible Three Yan Ancestors—how could they possibly allow themselves to be enslaved by anyone? He would rather believe that the Northern Divine Region would collapse in the next instant than believe something so absurd.
It wasn't that Yan Tianxiao was naive; anyone in his place would never believe such a possibility.
Of course, they would never imagine what a terrible hell... and temptation the Three Yan Ancestors had suffered under Yun Che these past days.
Human nature has two sides. Even in the kindest person's heart, a demon lies hidden.
And when the demon in Yun Che's heart was forced out, it became even more ruthless and terrifying than any evil person he had ever encountered.
The number one Divine Emperor of the Northern Domain was drenched in spit and blood, but none of the surrounding Yan Mo, Yan Ghosts, Imperial Princes, or Imperial Princesses dared to make a sound—because these were the three ancestors!
The higher one's status in the Yan Mo Realm, the more one understood what kind of existences the Three Yan Ancestors were.
The Yan Mo Realm was unshakable? Indeed.
But if it was the Three Yan Ancestors, that was another matter entirely.
Yan Tianxiao was the first Divine Emperor of the Northern Domain, feared by all, but before the Three Yan Ancestors, he didn't even count as a great-grandson.
They had steeped in the Eternal Dark Bone Sea for hundreds of thousands of years, and their cultivation had long reached the extreme of darkness.
Most importantly, the source artifact of the Yan Mo Realm, the very lifeblood of Yan Mo inheritance—the Yan Mo Du Ming Ding—had always been in the hands of the Three Yan Ancestors.
Thus, their will could truly completely alter the fate of the Yan Mo Realm!
Countless eyes trembled as they turned to Yan Tianxiao.
Even the Yan Mo and Yan Ghosts, who possessed high strength and status in the Northern Divine Region, had no right to speak before the Yan ancestors.
Yan Tianxiao's hand clenched tighter and tighter, blood already dripping from between his fingers and teeth.
When he raised his head again, his face, shrouded in black aura, had less confusion and more resolve: "May I ask the three ancestors, what is the reason for such a decision?!"
He wanted a reason... even a reason that could give him the slightest shred of hesitation.
Yan Yi said solemnly, "We three were trapped in the Eternal Dark Bone Sea for eight hundred thousand years. Though we gained long life, we could not leave even half a step. Our master granted us new life, allowing us to see the light of day again and roam the world. This is a great kindness that cannot be repaid in a hundred lifetimes!"
Yan Er said sternly, "Our master possesses the Evil God's Divine Power and the Demon Emperor's inheritance. With the body of an eighth-rank Divine Lord, he made the three of us willingly submit. His person and his power are unparalleled in this world. To be able to acknowledge him as master is the greatest fortune in the world!"
Yan San declared proudly, "Though the Yan Mo are flourishing, they have been stagnant for hundreds of thousands of years. As the number one king realm of the Northern Domain, they are content to be bound in a cage. But our master has grand ambitions, aiming for the vast Divine Realm! Once the three king realms are unified under our master's command, he will lead the Northern Domain to break out of its cage, reverse the fate of the Northern Domain, and establish unparalleled merits! This is the great righteousness that will be remembered for ten thousand generations!"
The words of the three ancestors were impassioned, each word shaking the heavens.
The entire Yan Mo realm was stunned speechless, dumbfounded like wooden chickens.
Yan Tianxiao slowly exhaled.
He had asked for a reason, and the three ancestors had given him reasons, spoken with righteous fervor and stern words... and clearly with an abnormal piety.
But even if these reasons were magnified tenfold or a hundredfold, they should not have led to the Yan Mo, which had stood for eight hundred thousand years in the Northern Domain, being handed over to an outsider just like that.
Too absurd, too laughable.
Yan Tianxiao did not obey the ancestors' command. Instead, he slowly stood up.
*Clang!*
With a dull clang, the Yan Mo Spear appeared before Yan Tianxiao. Black light shone around him, and his long hair fluttered.
The face of this number one Divine Emperor of the Northern Domain was filled with pain and tragedy.
He had never imagined that one day he would have to face the three founding ancestors, whom he had always respectfully regarded as the guardian spirits of the Yan Mo.
"Three ancestors," Yan Tianxiao's voice became slow and low: "As descendants of the Yan Mo, we should obey any command of yours. But the vast Yan Mo carries the dignity, heartblood, and glory of all Yan Mo disciples for these hundreds of thousands of years!"
"Regardless... even if it is the ancestors' command, it cannot be handed over to others!"
Yan Tianxiao shook his head, a plea in his eyes, trying to make a final salvage: "Three ancestors, this Yan Mo Realm was created by your hands. You watched it grow to what it is today. How could you possibly allow such a thing to happen? I beg you to wake up and not be deluded by the Demon Emperor's power inherited by Yun Che!"
The Three Yan Ancestors had pursued the extreme of darkness for hundreds of thousands of years, and the Demon Emperor's power on Yun Che could be seen as power beyond that extreme, thus earning their piety.
Though it was extremely far-fetched, he could think of no other possibility.
Yan Tianxiao's actions and words clearly expressed his stance and decision.
Beside him, Yan Jie and Yan Wu hesitated briefly, then stood up as well.
Following that, the Yan Mo crowd who had prostrated themselves, their minds shaken, from the Yan Mo down to the Yan soldiers, rose in waves, profound energy surging around them. The entire Yan Mo Imperial Domain was turbulent with airflow, as if swept by countless storms.
After all, Yan Tianxiao was the Divine Emperor!
After all, none of them were willing to accept the Yan Mo Realm changing hands to an outsider... even if it was the command of the three ancestors.
However, they were all very aware of how terrifying the Three Yan Ancestors were. It was said that each Yan ancestor's strength surpassed that of the Yan Emperor.
And this was the core of the Yan Mo Realm, the Eternal Dark Demon Palace! If a fierce battle were to erupt here, even if they ultimately won, the situation would be extremely tragic.
When the three ancestors were on their side, they were the stabilizing pillar. When they were enemies, they were undoubtedly the greatest nightmare—a nightmare no one had ever imagined.
The eyes of the three ancestors suddenly turned cold.
"So, you all intend to defy the will of your ancestors?" Yan Yi said somberly.
Having made his decision, Yan Tianxiao's expression instead became calm: "Since I am the Emperor of the Yan Mo, I will guard the Yan Mo with my life! For this, we have no choice but to defy the three ancestors... But you three ancestors are defying the Yan Mo that you yourselves created!"
"Good, very good!" The three ancestors were all enraged. Yan Er surveyed the entire scene and said, "I want to see how many rebellious people there are today. I'll clear out the sect together!"
"Ancestor." Yan Wu's expression and eyes were as cold as a frozen prison: "If you wish to bring disaster upon the Yan Mo, even if it is you... you are our mortal enemy!"
"That's right!" Yan Jie stood beside Yan Wu, black aura rising around him, his voice sinister as a blade: "If the three ancestors insist on this, for the glory of the Yan Mo, we have no choice but... to rebel against our superiors!"
"Hahahaha." Yun Che, who had been silently watching the show, chuckled softly, then said leisurely, "Yan Tianxiao, before you resist, take a good look at what this is."
He waved his arm, and a black cauldron appeared in his hand.
In that instant, the eyes of the Yan Mo crowd bulged as if struck by a heavy object.
"The Yan Mo Du Ming Ding!"
Shouts of shock escaped their mouths.
That was the source artifact of their Yan Mo, the lifeblood of their inheritance!
Yan Tianxiao's body shook violently.
What he had feared most and dared not think about had finally happened... No, it was far worse than what he had feared.
Because the one holding the Yan Mo Du Ming Ding to threaten the Yan Mo was not the three ancestors, but Yun Che!
The three ancestors had actually given him the very lifeblood of the Yan Mo inheritance!
As Yan Tianxiao's body swayed, the world seemed to spin before his eyes.
What were they after?! What were they after?!
"Father, this... this..." Yan Jie was clearly panicked.
As the Yan Mo Crown Prince, he knew more secrets about the Yan Mo Du Ming Ding.
The Yan Mo Du Ming Ding was not only the carrier of the Yan Mo's source power; it also possessed a domineering characteristic that the source artifacts of the Burning Moon and Soul Plunder king realms did not have:
It could forcibly strip and reclaim the inherited Yan Mo power!
In this regard, it was similar to the Brahma Soul Bell of the Brahma Emperor Divine Realm in the Eastern Divine Region.
Back then at the edge of the chaos, Qianye Ying'er's Brahma God power was forcibly stripped by the Brahma Soul Bell... though that also allowed her to escape the slave seal Yun Che had placed on her.
"This black cauldron, I'm sure the Yan Emperor recognizes it," Yun Che said proudly, holding the cauldron with one hand. "It not only concerns the inheritance of the Yan Mo Realm, but also seems... able to forcibly reclaim the inherited Yan Mo power. Are you sure you still want to resist?"
"Yun~~Che!" Yan Tianxiao gritted his teeth. He began to vaguely sense that ten days ago, he might have fallen for Yun Che's trick... but now, none of that mattered. He said in a sinister voice, "The Yan Mo Du Ming Ding can indeed forcibly reclaim inheritance, but it takes time. That time is enough for me to tear you into pieces!"
"Bold wretch!" The three ancestors were furious... but Yun Che raised his hand, and they immediately shut up obediently. He smiled faintly and said, "So the Yan Emperor is determined to defy the ancestors' command?"
"No," Yan Tianxiao said, though he had just made a harsh threat, he closed his eyes weakly, and even his aura slowly subsided. His face twisted as he said, "Now that the Yan Mo Du Ming Ding has fallen into your hands, and we are in the Eternal Dark Demon Palace, if we truly engage the three ancestors in battle, the foundation will surely be destroyed. Though I am extremely unwilling, I must consider the tens of thousands of lives of my Yan Mo."
"Dance'er, Jie'er," Yan Tianxiao said as he spoke, but simultaneously transmitted an extremely calm soul message: "After three breaths, I will forcefully block the power of the three ancestors, catching them off guard. You two combine your strength... at all costs, kill Yun Che!"
"If you can't kill him, seize the Yan Mo Du Ming Ding!"
Yan Jie and Yan Wu understood, and the energy within their profound veins quietly surged, ready to strike.
"Answer me one question," Yan Tianxiao said, his eyes shining like cold stars. "If your answer satisfies me, I might..."
*Chi!*
His voice was still echoing in the air, and everyone was holding their breath, listening to Yan Tianxiao's words that would likely determine the future of the Yan Mo. But in that instant, the speaker suddenly pierced through space, and his aura, originally locked onto Yun Che, abruptly shifted, heading straight for the three ancestors.
Everyone was horrified... and at that moment, an explosion rang out in the air.
As the number one Divine Emperor of the Northern Domain, Yan Tianxiao's imperial might was immense, especially since he struck so unexpectedly, catching everyone off guard.
But the moment his imperial might erupted, before it could even fully unfold, three overwhelming demonic mights suddenly pressed down.
These three demonic mights were not only immensely powerful but, despite being unleashed after Yan Tianxiao's strike, exploded before his demon emperor power could fully manifest. Like three sky-shattering hammers, they forcibly scattered Yan Tianxiao's divine emperor power, and the residual force pressed downward...
Yan Tianxiao let out a muffled groan and fell backward.
With a heavy thud, his feet firmly planted on the ground like magnets, but an unnatural pallor flashed across his face for a moment, and his heart felt like ten thousand thunders were roaring, the world turned upside down.
"Your Majesty!"
"Father!"
Yan Wu and Yan Jie, who had been ready to strike, contracted their pupils, their entire bodies turning cold.
Those who witnessed this all turned pale, their souls trembling.
"Hmph!" Yan Yi's ragged hair stood on end, his murderous aura surging to the heavens: "Daring to ambush our master before us three, it seems we have no choice but to cripple this rebellious whelp today!"
Now, as everyone looked at the three ancestors in the air, every pore on the bodies of the Yan Mo crowd shivered silently.
The strength of the Yan ancestors was naturally well-known to the Yan Mo people, but it was only hearsay; almost no one had ever seen the Yan ancestors exert their full power.
And just now, their Yan Mo Emperor, the universally acknowledged number one in profound arts in the Northern Divine Region, had his divine emperor power suppressed by the three ancestors in an instant... and they had struck after him!
Any one of the three ancestors was stronger than the Yan Emperor... that had once been merely a rumor. But now, who could still harbor the slightest doubt?
"Yan Tianxiao," Yun Che said, his eyes half-closed, his voice cold and deep: "Originally, no one needed to die, and this core area could be preserved. But you... you insist on not crying until you see the coffin!"
Yan Tianxiao's face was ashen, his long hair flying, his imperial might covering the heavens: "Today, even if I am buried at the hands of the ancestors, I will drag you down with me first!"
"Oh?" Yun Che smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping around: "Do you all feel the same way?"
*Boom!!*
The moment Yun Che's words fell, an explosion suddenly erupted.
Yan Jie's long-accumulated power struck heavily against Yan Wu's back.
Yan Tianxiao spun around, his eyes nearly splitting... and Yan Wu flew out, spraying blood, crashing heavily ten miles away.
Yan Jie and Yan Wu had been only two steps apart. After receiving Yan Tianxiao's telepathic message, both had been covertly gathering power. But Yan Wu's attention was entirely focused on Yun Che—how could she have any guard against Yan Jie?
In terms of cultivation, Yan Wu far surpassed Yan Jie. But at such close range, completely off guard, facing Yan Jie's long-accumulated strength... this strike was enough to gravely wound Yan Wu on the spot.
This scene caught everyone off guard. Yan Jie's figure flickered, and he had already appeared before Yun Che, his head deeply bowed, and he solemnly bowed: "Yan Jie is willing to obey the command of the three ancestors, and from now on, pledge loyalty to Emperor Yun. If the ancestors and Emperor Yun have any orders, Yan Jie will carry them out even if it means ten thousand deaths!"